Obtaining a pet dog in Switzerland

My Labrador passed away last week after spending 13 happy years with me and my family.

Back in 2008 when we got him, he was a rescue at 9 months from a family that couldn't look after him. We found him on Ricardo of all places! I was looking for a Spaniel at the time and he was a happy, very lucky find.

In a couple of months, after we have had a chance to let his memory pass, we would like to start looking for another.

My dog was pure English Labrador (shorter and stickier than Canadian Labs, with longer, thicker fur) and he had the temperament of an angel, he was kind and patient, a bit stubborn, and would eat until he weighed 300kg if we let him (we kept him at a stable 35kg for most of his life) and we would love to find another dog of a similar personality.

I understand that breeding kennels have been closed in Switzerland? How can I start looking for other dogs? The local SPA only has two dogs, neither Labradors, and that can't share a house with other animals, so unfortunately they are not an option. Any other ideas of where to go?

If I'm wrong about the kennel closures in Switzerland, please can you help identify one that has the mother dog in the house as a pet, and gives mother dogs breaks between pregnancies.

I'm happy not to go for a pedigree, it's their personality that's important to us, it's going to become a friend, not a Guchy bracelet.

Thanks all.

Hi,

I don't think breeders in Switzerland have stopped due to Covid, my dog's breeder has had a litter this year and last.

If you want a labrador, you can find breeders here https://www.retriever.ch/de

We recently adopted a lovely young dog from a rescue centre in Thurgau, helpforanimals

They also run a rescue centre in Bulgaria and some dogs suitable for adoption are sent to Switzerland every month or so. All the paperwork, vaccinaions, microchip etc is sorted out in advance.

Jon, my condolence on the loss of your pup. Our furry friends are such a large part of our lives - I hope the good memories of those 13 years to help you get through this difficult time.

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As you probably have seen while searching, there are not many dogs in rescue in Switzerland right now. Lockdown and WFH has led to many many people wanting canine companionship, pretty much emptying a number of shelters.

Which, of course, is every rescuer's dream.

Several shelters in Switzerland, with few 'Swiss' dogs in need, have started partnering with rescues abroad. But again, the off-and-on border closures have made it somewhat more difficult for rescues to bring dogs here than in the past.

Ditto puppies bred in Switzerland. First, there are not as many active breeders in Switzerland, across most breeds. No, breeding was never closed down during lockdown - but from my own admittedly superficial 'keeping an eye out' it seems that some breeders chose not to breed this last year, for a variety of reasons.

So we have the situation of massively increased demand and fewer dogs available, either from shelters or breeders. To be blunt: You may find you have lots of competition for available dogs. Responsible shelters and breeders are being quite careful in deciding who to give their dogs to. Be prepared for a somewhat more difficult time finding a new furry friend than you might have experienced in the past.

I mention this because it may take time to find your next friend. I know all too well the pain of an empty house and the need to fill that void - but do mentally prepare yourself for the possibility of a longer search.

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Island Monkey has given you the link to the Retriever Club in Switzerland, and I'll add it's counterpart in Germany, under the VDH:

https://drc.de

Both breed clubs are the place to start for a puppy.

See 'Welpen List' and 'Geplant Würfe'.

You would need to contact each breeder, ask if you can be considered for a pup, or if you can put your name down on a waiting list.

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There are also independent or 'dissident' breeders that are not affiliated with the official breed clubs. While I usually steer people first to the SKG or VDH, some of the independents are also good ethical breeders. The question you should ask is why the breeder chose not to affiliate. Make sure you understand the rationale - and make sure you double check all health and temperament tests.

Of course, there are also unafilliated breeders who are not affiliated because they cannot or will not meet standards, or they are BYBs or fronts for the Dark Side.. Avoid these like the plague.

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A good breeder (and rescue) will want to assess you before allowing you on the list. Be prepared for questions, be prepared to show that you are the right home for one of their pups. Towards that end, here is an old thread, but a very good one still applicable today, discussing buying from a breeder:

https://www.englishforum.ch/pet-corn...e-breeder.html

Because of the scarcity of dogs available you will want to put your best foot forward from the initial contact.

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If you are interested in a rescue dog, Retriever In Not/ Liberty For Dogs is a good resource. In Germany. This is a rescue specializing in the retriever breeds, as well as dogs of other breeds.

https://www.retriever-in-not.de/startseite.html

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A list (not definitive, though) of all-breed shelters in Switzerland is here:

http://adopt-a-pet.ch/sites/tierheime.html

And here is a thread discussing how to go about adopting a dog from a rescue. Again an old thread, but most of the information, especially how to present yourself, is still relevant:

https://www.englishforum.ch/pet-corn...ue-centre.html

Again because of the scarcity of dogs available you will want to put your best foot forward from the initial contact.

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My interactions are largely with dogdom in the German speaking world. I have little experience with rescues or breeders in France, but nonetheless here are two sites to look at:

Chiens de France, which appears to collate available litters, by breed:

https://www.chiens-de-france.com

And Second Chance, which lists rescue dogs at shelter throughout France:

https://www.secondechance.org

I have little personal experience with rescues in France, and none with breeders, so I must again emphasize due diligence.

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Unfortunately there is no longer a (non-commercial, controlled) database of homeless animals in Switzerland. After the old one closed down, the alternative is to go through the commercial sites. Probably the better sites are TierOnline and Adopt-a-Pet and Petfinder. Tierwelt also has a dog advertising section - it used to be where some smaller breeders advertised, but for the last year, I mostly see 'Dog wanted' ads rather than dogs for sale/adoption. Again, pandemic.

Some dogs are listed as here in Switzerland, but when you get to the Dossier it says the dog is abroad and can be transported here. Due diligence. (Yeah, I'm sounding like a broken record but it is so very important.)

(I have adopted many dogs from outside Switzerland - but I always travel to the country and shelter where the dog currently is. I spend time there to get to know the dog and the rescue group. I would urge anyone adopting abroad to do so, especially if you have children or resident pets.)

FYI: I am generally not a fan of the 'free ad 'type online sites unless you are very savvy at spotting the Dark Side.

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Speaking of which: EYES WIDE OPEN! You need to carefully research both breeders and rescues in Switzerland and abroad - because there are scam artists, battery producers, smugglers, and outright evil barstewards aplenty, posing as both.

This has been a problem for quite some time now in Switzerland but the increased demand for dogs due to lockdown has made it many times worse. Typically the bad actors are located outside Switzerland and traffic the dogs here. A dog bought from the Dark Side perpetuates the cycle of abuse and misery. Don't support these barstewards.

Switzerland is trying to stamp this evil trade out, be aware that dogs entering Switzerland illegally are seized at the border. If the dog does not have proof of valid rabies, the dog must be sent back to it's country of origin at your expense, put into quarantine at the cost of ca 8K paid by you, or the dog will be euthanized. The authorities are taking a very hard line, many puppies have been killed because naive buyers/adopters did not follow regulations.

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I must urge caution. You have just gone through a terrible loss - and the Dark Side plays on emotion. Their business model is tugging at your heartstrings. Be careful, and steel yourself to walk away at the first sign of something that feels off.

Here's a thread discussing one member's experience navigating the shark-filled waters of the Dark Side, and her happy ending when she finally found a pup from a good breeder:

https://www.englishforum.ch/pet-corn...cts-puppy.html

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As you might find that you have to go abroad to find your pup, either from a legit breeder or legit rescue. FYI, half of Switzerlands 500K dogs came from outside the country, and the number is rising. So be aware of what is required to import a pup back into Switzerland so that you are prepared. The BLV lays it all out:

https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/en/home...eimtieren.html

And the online tool:

https://www.blv.admin.ch/blv/en/home...frettchen.html

And a another point: It is imperative that any dog imported into Switzerland is correctly stamped at the border - which means planning the journey to enter at the points able to check animals, and to coincide with opening hours.

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OK, I've nattered on long enough to get you started. If you have questions, please come back to ask.

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Wishing you all the best with your search, and again, I am sorry for your loss.

I see on Anibis all the time people who have bought a puppy and are rehoming due to various reasons ... that could be a place to start. Breeders have not necessarily closed down, but waiting lists are longer than usual.

Meloncollie knows the Swiss scene, especially regarding darker things, much better than I do. She is a treasure to share all her knowledge time and again! I would just add one thing, at the risk of repeating myself and at the risk of getting a tap on the wrist ... breeding “officially” with papers in Switzerland is a very very difficult process. If you are confident in your ability to assess a breeder, there are some very good ones who “hobby breed” but who do all the health testing and who take incredibly good care of their puppies. Whether you choose official breeders or hobby breeders you do have to have a certain amount of knowledge going into the process to be sure you’re not blinded by the cute little pups and can instead focus on what the breeder does and the quality they can offer you. A really good start for a puppy is paramount for easier training and easier adjustment to daily life outside the litter. A pup who has never left the farm ... well I took in one of those as a rehome last summer—and he had papers.

I am so sorry to hear you had to say goodbye to your friend. 13 years is a good innings for a Labrador, you must have taken great care of him, but of course it is always too soon for a pet shaped hole in our hearts.

Dogs are not my field of expertise but I also wanted to caution against bogus rescue operations. They have of course cottoned on to people feeling better about rescuing/adopting a dog than just buying one. They dress up as a shelter type organisation but mysteriously only have recognised breeds available for "adoption".

The other thing is those breeders who know that people cannot help but want to help a sick puppy, even if they caused it to be sick. Tiktok and Instagram is full of people who show off their "rescue dog", only to reveal that they "rescued them from a really dodgy breeder". Did they have the breeder shut down? Of course not. Was the puppy part of those seized during a raid where the breeder was shut down? Also nope. Hate to break it to them but that is not rescuing, it is supporting a dreadful business model because you were too cheap to get your toy Pomerhuahua from a reputable breeder.

Ok, I'll stop ranting...

In other news: can I just extend a huge thanks to the amazing meloncollie for her tireless and comprehensive support in all things canine. She is a precious resource and so generous with her time. To use the parlance of Gen Z, we must protecc her at all cost.

Here's one sad doggo looking for love

(Animal Welfare Valais, near Nandoz

https://spavalais.ch/dadoptableanimals/riscas/

https://spavalais.ch/presentation/contact/

Apparently, he's not good with small children or cats, although that's sometimes to do with lack of love and training.

Animal Welfare in the German speaking part of Valais have their own website, although they don't have any dogs up for adoption at the moment, but worth checking every so often.

https://www.tierschutz-oberwallis.ch/hunde.html

I can't offer any advice, but I wanted to say I'm sorry to read about your pet. I hope you find a new friend when the time is right.

The kennels we take our dog to when on holiday also looks after starts etc. They are looking for foster families https://www.tierpensionfurrer.com/ When we picked our dog up a month ago they had a dog that had just had a litter of puppies, super cute. Think it was a Malinos.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It took us 10 months to be ready for a new dog after losing Heros

Our new dog came from a rescue in the Jura - www.grisette.ch . They are partnered with a rescue in Spain and bring in 4-5 dogs at a time to Switzerland when they have the money to fly them over. They mostly focus on galgos (Spanish greyhounds) but they don't leave dogs behind, so a small proportion of the dogs they have are of other breeds - Belgian and German shepherds, small Heinz dogs etc. Their website impressed me because they put up huge amounts of information about each dog, including being very open about any health issues so people can make an informed decision - compare and contrast the mostly 3-line ads from other rescue centres.

I can vouch that they are thorough home checks etc. We got all the paperwork including import papers, VAT payments and test results for Mediterranean diseases, so whilst we can only surmise what happened to Shadow before the Spanish rescue saved him (and we get indications every day grrr), we know almost everything about him since Jan 2020.

FWIW another EF user fostered for them last autumn and I believe was equally impressed.

My little shit-tzu girl died 2 weeks ago. It happened very fast. She had her yearly check up last September and everything was alright according to the vet. And now it was discovered that she had cancer in its final stages. The vet gave her medicine for her pains and shortly after I got home she went to sleep.

I have visited all the websites given here and many others that I found on google, in vain, the SPA's have only big dogs and the breeders have no puppies to sell.

Has anybody an idea where I might find a small dog, if possible female, to either adopt or buy ? I would like a yorkie or a biewer yorkie but would consider other races or mixtures.

So sorry to hear of your loss. But at least she didn’t suffer.

Perhaps you could ask your vet for recommendations.

SPA Fribourg has a male Jack Russel looking for a forever home.

https://www.spafribourg.ch/index.php…r/365-falco-fr

Higa, I am so very sorry. Losing our four footed friends cuts so very deep, especially when unexpected. My condolences to you and your family at this difficult time.

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From what I see, the situation hasn’t changed much from the earlier posts - there are still more people looking for dogs than dogs available.

This is especially true for small dogs, fluffy dogs, and female dogs. (This last caught me by surprise. In my years in rescue work, I’ve not seen such a stark discrepancy as I see today. As Robin will never accept another male, I have been keeping an eye out for a suitable female friend - in the last few years my impression is that it seems that the male/female ratio of dogs in rescue is something like 70/30, perhaps even more skewed for the small breeds. I even see this with breeders in the two breeds I know (shelties and collies), as it seems more often female pups are being kept by the breeder, often only the males are for sale. No idea if this is happening in other breeds.

I bring this up because you might want to keep as open a mind as possible, given how few available small fluffy female dogs there are at the moment. And to set realistic expectations wrt timing.

Keep an eye on all the Swiss rescues linked above. There are few dogs in Swiss rescue today, and those fitting your preference tend to be homed quickly - so the best thing to do is to keep an eye out regularly.

You might consider writing a few rescues close to you and ask to be considered should an appropriate dog come in. Not many Swiss rescues tend to keep inquiries on file, but you never know. It certainly can't hurt to at least introduce yourself.

ETA:

A commercial rescue platform is TierOnline:

https://www.tieronline.ch

Be aware that some of the dogs listed under 'Hunde Schweiz' are not actually in Switzerland, rather they are with rescues in other countries willing to rehome to Switzerland.

Due diligence!

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As you are in Geneve, I would suggest you look at the two French sites in my previous post, Chiens de France for breeders and Seconde Chance for rescues. There are more breeders active in France, and certainly more rescues, so your odds may be a bit better. Some of the French rescues I know limit rehoming to their geographic area, though, so do check out each groups’ policies before you lose your heart.

One French rescue you might also keep an eye on is Aux Toutous de Gatinais, a group that sort of specialize in small breeds, many of which they have rescued from the Dark Side:

http://auxtoutousdugatinais-45220.e-monsite.com

At present they only have four dogs, none of which are they type you are looking for - but perhaps you might keep a eye on their site from time to time to see who comes in going forward.

I have limited eperience with French rescues and none with French breeders, so I make this suggestion only from keeping an eye on numbers. You will need to do your due diligence on any organization you are considering.

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You should check to see which breeders have litters now, or have planned litters for the future. Write to introduce yourself, giving a brief description of your family, accommodation, your experiences with your previous dogs, emphasizing what you are able to offer one of their pups. Ask to meet the breeder at their convenience, ask to be considered for their waiting list.

Swiss breed clubs you might look into:

The Klein Hund Club, responsible for several of the small breeds:

https://www.kleinhundeclub.ch

Terrier club:

http://de.terrierclub.ch/rassenzuech...er-rassen.aspx

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The German FCI equivalent is the Verband Deutscher Keinhundezüchter e.V, here:

https://www.vdh.de/welpen/zuechter/mverein/id/79

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Another source that I’m offering with a caveat is a dissident club in Germany, several breeders of the small breeds are members:

https://urciev.de/zuechter

I bring this one up because of a good experience I’ve had with one breeder who breeds under this umbrella club. I have no idea if this experience would translate across the cub, or not. Long story short, although Robin Goodfellow came to me as a rescue, I traced down his breeder to try to find some background info as I tried to help him... and have been very impressed at the response from Robin’s breeder.

Be aware that this is a dissident club, not FCI. As always when one deals with non-FCI breeders one should find out why the breeder chose that route, and make sure the rationale makes sense in terms of ethics and breed welfare efforts.

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And of course, the warning about the Dark Side in my last post still stands - even moreso today. This problem is getting worse, the evil side of dogdom seems to have gone into overdrive to meet pandemic demand. You have be sure you know the signs of bad actors, be aware that they pose as both breeders and rescues. Sadly and shamefully these barstewards have infiltrated the rescue world, making a mockery of the work so many good hearted folks have dedicated their lives to. So eyes wide. You will need to steel yourself to walk away from these traffickers should you encounter one. The most glaring red flatgis anyone who will ship a dog to you, anyone who does not require you to travel to wherever the dog is to meet and assess the suitability of the match.

And I’ll repeat the warning re: looking for a dog while emotionally vulnerable. I bring this up because I know that the pain of an empty dog bed can be overwhelming, the need to fill that void can cause one to discount red flags. The barstewards operating on the Dark Side will play on your grief, they are unconscionable.

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I hope you find your new friend soon, Higa.

And again, I am so very sorry for your loss.

Wishing you and your family all the best.

thanks for the link but the dog does not get on with children and cats and all my neighbors have at least one cat and all my friends have children

Thanks so much meloncollie for your efforts in getting all this information for me. I shall study it and will try the various links

Higa, another place to look is the Kleinanziegen in Tierwelt. Sometimes breeders and people looking to rehome advertise there. But again, due diligence, as some advertisers do not seem to be affiliated breeders.

New Kleinanziegen are published every Saturday afternoon. In this week's list there is a Yorkie female looking for a home - no age or any other particulars given. Also ads for a litter of toy poodles and and for a litter of 'Malteser Haveneser'. I have no idea if the last is a mixed breed litter or two different litters.

While I am generally uncomfortable with 'free ads' as a source for pets, Tierwelt is a magazine aimed at readers who are serious animal lovers, so you start off ahead of the game there.

https://www.tierwelt.ch

ETA:

ALso keep an eye on Animal HappyEnd, a Swiss rescue group that partners with sheltes in Spain and Hungary. The dogs currently in Switzerland don't really fit your criteria, but there are a few who might be of interest in their partner shelters abroad. Animal Happy End has a good reputation.

https://www.animal-happyend.ch

ETA2:

Not eactly what you are looking for, but since small fluffies are so hard to come by, as an FYI for anyone interested, there is a male senior Bichon Frise looking for a home at Tierschutz Beider Basel:

https://www.tbb.ch/de/Tierheim/Tierv...b-8a9a5e9238e4

so many young labradors needing good homes here (UK)

https://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/n...7-cute-6688738

Another idea is to get to know some breeders. Sometimes dogs are returned, stuff doesn’t work out. I spoke to several shiba breeders and was way down on the waiting list. In January, a puppy was returned to the breeder due to family circumstances (shit happens, try not to judge), and the breeder offered me the puppy because I’d impressed her - we brought our last dog, a rescue, from the US, and I’d spent a lot of 2021 doing dog hospice. So I now have a beautiful puppy, and sleep deprivation.

Ethical breeders want the best homes for their pups. Puppies are very hard work, and I think people even with the best of intentions can have a very hard time, and breeders do their best to vet homes, but as I said, shit happens.

Holy moley - 57 labs!

I know Many Tears well. They have done so much good work in Wales, where there are so many puppy farms.